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It’s a way to generate instant interest . . .

. . . From people we call offerors!

Do 50: Using a Rent-a-Mentor

It’s so slick that they don’t even realize they’re being “mented!”

Why wouldn’t someone who knows he’s older and thinks he’s wiser not want to spend his life getting you interviews?

It happens.

But don’t approach it that way. Don’t ask him to be your mentor (Do 95).

Ask, ask, ASK—but just not that.

You can ask the rent-a-mentor questions in almost any environment.

You: Hi, Max!

Max: Hi, Tom. How’ve you been?

You: Great. I’m interviewing for a job right now, and am trying new approaches. (Don’t say 101.)

Max: Good for you!

You: I sure hope I find a job like yours.

Max: Thanks for the compliment. But my job’s got its challenges too.

You: I understand that. But I’d love something like it. How’d you hear about that job opening anyway? Did a recruiter call you?

Max: Nope. I was really unemployable. My sister-in-law told me about the job.

You: How’d you handle the interview? Was it tough?

Max: Not really. I researched the company online. Then, I just told them what they wanted to hear. I said, “If you want a ‘yes-man,’ I’m not your guy.” The supervisor said, “We don’t need any more yes-men around here.” I was, they did. Things worked out well.

You: They actually hired you from that yes-man conversation?

Max: Of course! Nobody wants you to rock the boat, particularly if it’s staying afloat!

You: Gee! (Such a mentee word.) How clever! (Yet another one.) Where did you ever learn things like that? (I know it’s not fair, but this mentor thing is for his own good.)

Max: I know, I know. Just experience, I guess.

You: Do you have any tips about writing a resume?

Max: Make it brief and to the point. (Whoop-de-doo!)

You: Would you mind looking at mine with my cover letter?

Max: Well, okay. Just e-mail it to me.

You: Here’s a copy of it. I’d love to see yours if you wouldn’t mind. I’m open to any suggestions. Here’s my business card with my e-mail address.

Max: Okay, I’ll e-mail mine to you when I get back to the office. I see yours is one page. That’s good. But I’d lose the pink paper. Take the bullets off and don’t number over here.

You: That’s great advice! Can I call on you for more as I’m trying to advance my career?

Max: Well, it looks like you’re going to need my assistance, so why not?

You’ve just rented a mentor. Actually a long-term leased one! You did it by:

• Asking how he got the interview

• Asking how he prepared for the interview

• Asking for his resume

Ask, ask, ASK!

That’s how you rent a mentor!

Do 51: Sampling the Sweets at Job Fairs

Most people leave job fairs with only a goodie bag filled with candy, cookies, and silly stuff. They’re in a deeper funk than they were before they saw the ad. That’s because they expected that the word job meant there were jobs, and the word fair meant they’d be considered fairly.

Not us. We expect you to be the exception. As in exceptional. Forget the little Paydays. (Really!) We want to find someone who’s got the honeypot (both the honey and the pot).

So don your duds and let’s go to the fair!

I want to get there an hour before it opens. That’s when the management people are getting everything and everyone organized. It’s hard to do instant interviews when everyone’s grabbing the logo beanies or filling out apps at the table.

Good. Here we are. Plenty of spaces. Pull your junglejeep in right here. The fair’s in that tent right next to the jobgym (Do 45).

The side entrance over here is open. Huh?—What’s this? So many people in pilot’s uniforms! They must have chosen a Halloween theme. That explains why there’s so much candy.

No, that’s not it. I just asked at the registration desk. They flew in from the mainland. They really are pilots. Attendance at these conflabs is in their job description. They are required to collect as much paper from the natives as they can, then they must pile it here and pile it there.